Feb 18, 2024, 10:58 PM

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Updated

Two sisters are using literature to expand people's palates by creating a space that brings Black authors, chefs and writers together.

BEM | books & more is a bookstore that highlights Black stories in food and cooking.

"Food has always been at the very core of how I process the world," said co-owner Gabrielle Davenport.

"I've always just really love food, love flavors, love to cook alongside my mom and so forth, so food has always been an important part of my life," said Gabrielle's sister and co-owner Danielle Davenport.

The Davenport sisters have always had a passion for food. It was a way to show love and form relationships through different dishes and taste.

"There's all kinds of ways that food shows up on the page and it's really thrilling to think about bringing these books into conversations with one another," said Gabrielle Davenport.

The sisters spent a lot of time cooking and as adults, they started reading and looking for books that reflect and showcase Black food in all forms. They say learning more about Black authors who wrote about their food journeys, recipes and used dishes to represent some kind of emotion sparked BEM | books & more.

BEM is an online bookstore with more than 500 books that created a home for Black authors.

"Literature holds our stories. holds our legacies. Food really does the same thing, and so when you bring them together, there really is a certain kind of interaction that happens," said Gabrielle Davenport .

For the past three years, the sisters have created pop-up shops across the city, bringing Black foods and literature to all New Yorkers. They say it's time to have a permanent mark and Bed-Stuy could be their new home.

"We're trying create a space for Black joy and for learning, and in this case, doing so through food and books makes a lot of sense to us," Gabrielle Davenport said.

Their bookstore is not only for foodies but they have novels, nonfiction poetry and even children's books, creating a space for all Black authors.

"It's important for us to tell global Black stories and really exploring all of what the diaspora has to offer in terms of food and literature," said Danielle Davenport.

The sisters say a cafe and wine bar with a kitchen and spaces for reading is the perfect vibe for their bookstore. They hope their brick and mortar business will be up and running by the end of the year.

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